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What
Islam believes about the End
When reading the Quran, or the Hadith(s), the reader cannot help but
understand the end is firmly in view by the
Muslim. Muslims do not view this life as
the end, but only as the start of the next life.
The role of the current life is to determine the
next life. The result of the Muslim’s
restoration and relationship with Allah through Mohammad.
The subject of the end times is known as eschatology and covers both
what happens after death and the events at the
end of time. Christianity and Islam share some
similar beliefs, with much different outcomes.
For one, in Christianity and Islam, Jesus
Christ plays a central role in the timing of
end; Islam believes the return of Jesus will
occur at the end, like Christians. Muslims also
believe in the resurrection of both the
wicked and the righteous and the final judgment. Islam and Christianity both
proclaim an eternal dwelling of the lost
and saved, in either Hell or Heaven (Paradise).
Therefore, in many ways, the structure of the
end (eschatology) is similar to Christianity.
However, Christians and Muslims have two different views of what the
final matter is. Both views of the end,
however, cannot be true since they are
diametrically opposed to each other. The Muslim
Jesus descends and converts the world to Islam,
kills the Jews, breaks crosses,
declares himself a Muslim and gets married.
He
dies after 40-years.
Therefore, in the Muslim view, the end has a much different outcome
compared to
the Christian or the Jewish view. All
Muslims do not
agree on every aspect of Muslim eschatology.
Sunnis and Shiites have a different view on the
role of Muslim end time figure, known as the Mahdi,
who will arrive before the return of Jesus. The
Shiites view this person as someone who will
establish order in the world and turn people to
Islam before the return of Jesus. Even the
particular events of the end are not completely
spelled out in the Quran. The Hadith supplements what the Quran does not say.
Belief in the end-times or the last days is mandatory in Islam. It is
listed as the fifth article of faith.
The Five articles of faith in Islam
1. God:
He is One; his nature and qualities are chiefly
revealed in his ninety-nine 'Most
Beautiful Names'.
2. His angels:
these include four archangels (e.g. Gabriel) and
an indefinite number of ordinary
angels. There are also creatures between angels
and men called jinn, some of which are
good and
some evil.
3. His books:
Scriptures were revealed to Adam, Seth, Enoch and
Abraham, but these have now
been lost. These are the main Scriptures:
a. The Pentateuch (tawrat)
b. The Psalms (zabur)
(Both of these are said by Muslims to have been
corrupted or misinterpreted by the
Jews.)
c. The Gospel (injil)
(said by Muslims to have been corrupted or
misinterpreted by the Christians)
d. The Quran, revealed to Muhammad
4. His apostles:
The Quran names twenty-eight apostles, most of
whom are biblical characters.
The six greatest are Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses,
(Jesus) and Muhammad.
5. The Last Day:
the day of judgment, when all will be judged
according to their deeds, and
admitted to Paradise or to hell. Some summaries
add the following two doctrines:
6. The predestination
of good and evil by God.
7. The bodily resurrection
of all people at the last day.
After death, What?
What happens after someone dies? According to the Quran, is not entirely
clear. For this reason we need to examine the
Hadith (traditions) to shed additional light on
the matter. The event of death is something
every human being will experience according to
Islam. On the Day of Judgment,
people will be paid full recompense. The experience
for the faithful Muslim is different than the
non-Muslim.
185. Every soul will taste of death. And ye will
be paid on the Day of Resurrection only that
which ye have fairly earned. Whoso is removed
from the Fire and is made to enter Paradise, he
indeed is triumphant. The life of this world is
but comfort of illusion. Surah 3;185 (Pickthall)
The exact process of death is not clear, but
the events at death are peppered throughout the
Quran. First, the soul of a dying person comes
to his throat,
“Why, then, when (the soul) cometh up to
the throat (of the dying) Surah 56:83”.
This is then followed by the angels, who come and remove the soul from the body.
The soul
of the non-Muslim is violently removed; angels
smite the soul in the process.
when the wrong doers reach the pangs of death
and the angels stretch their hands out, saying:
Deliver up your souls.
Surah 6;93
If thou couldst see how the anguish receive
those who disbelieve, smiting their faces and
their backs and (saying): Taste the punishment of
burning!
Surah 8:50
According to the Hadith, what happens to a
believer (Muslim) and a non-Muslim is vastly
different.
Geisler summarizes these events,
“The soul of the faithful person, which is
easily removed from the body, is clothed in a
heavenly and sweet smelling garment by radiant
and smiling angels. The soul is taken through
the seven heavens, entering the presence of God
who then orders the angels to return the soul to
its earthly body until the day of judgment. On
the other hand, the soul of the unbelieving
person is removed from its body with a great
deal of struggle. The angel of death clothes
the soul with a foul smelling garment. The
angel responsible for the wicked soul also tries
to take the soul through the various levels of
heaven but he gates of heaven are not opened to
them (7:40), and the soul is then returned to
the body”
All these events take place while the body is
being washed, demonstrating how quick the
above events take place.
1. Life in the Grave (Barzakh)
According to Islam, life continues
in the grave after the body is buried. Life in
the grave is known as Barzakh. According
to Islamic tradition, while in the grave, two angels
question the newly dead. Their names are
Munkar and Nakir. They ask the
person three questions:
1. Who is your God?
2. Who is your prophet?
3. What is your faith?
If the person answers correctly -- Allah, Islam and Muhammad
-- the angels will make
the grave more comfortable. They open a window
where the view and orders of paradise can be
enjoyed. For those who do not answer
correctly, a window to
hell will be opened, their grave will narrow,
their
ribs are crushed as they feel the heat and hot winds
of hell. This will continue while the person
awaits judgment. Only those who die in Jihad
will go directly to Paradise.
Torment in the grave is clearly
taught in Islam, especially in the traditions of
the prophet. In the Bukhari we read the following.
Narrated Anas bin Malik:Allah's
Apostle said, "When (Allah's) slave is put in
his grave and his companions return and he even
hears their footsteps, two angels come to him
and make him sit and ask, 'What did you use to
say about this man (i.e. Muhammad)?' The
faithful Believer will say, 'I testify that he
is Allah's slave and His Apostle.' Then they
will say to him, 'Look at your place in the Hell
Fire; Allah has given you a place in Paradise
instead of it.' So he will see both his places."
(Qatada said, "We were informed that his grave
would be made spacious." Then Qatada went back
to the narration of Anas who said;) Whereas a
hypocrite or a non-believer will be asked, "What
did you use to say about this man." He will
reply, "I do not know; but I used to say what
the people used to say." So they will say to
him, "Neither did you know nor did you take the
guidance (by reciting the Quran)." Then he will
be hit with iron hammers once, that he will send
such a cry as everything near to him will hear,
except Jinns and human beings. (See Hadith No.
422). Volume 2, Book 23, number 456 Bukhari
Aisha, Mohammad’s favorite wife, relates Mohammad’s comments about
punishment in the grave. She states how Mohammad
feared punishment in grave and prayed that he would
be kept from it.
Narrated Masruq:
'Aisha said that a Jewess came to her and
mentioned the punishment in the grave, saying to
her, "May Allah protect you from the punishment
of the grave." 'Aisha then asked Allah's Apostle
about the punishment of the grave. He said,
"Yes, (there is) punishment in the grave." 'Aisha
added, "After that I never saw Allah's Apostle
but seeking refuge with Allah from the
punishment in the grave in every prayer he
prayed." Volume 2,
Book 23, Number 454:Bukhari
There is, however, an exception for the believer who dies in
Jihad. He goes directly to Paradise, foregoing
life in the grave, as others who die. He is
guaranteed by Allah to go right to Paradise.
Narrated Abu Huraira: Allah's Apostle said, "Allah
guarantees him who strives in His Cause and
whose motivation for going out is nothing but
Jihad in His Cause and belief in His Word, that
He will admit him into Paradise (if martyred) or
bring him back to his dwelling place, whence he
has come out, with what he gains of reward and
booty." Volume
4, Book 53, Number 352:
Bukhari
Regarding the rest of the believers (Muslims) there is
speculation. The Quran does not go into
detail about life after death. According to Al-Ghazzali,
a famous Muslim theologian, the condition of the
believer can vary between four categories.
Some will wander the earth; some God allows to
slumber; martyrs are flown up to heaven after a
few months in the grave; and the prophets can
choose to remain on earth or go to heaven.
All of this continues until the Final Hour,
when history is concluded.
The End Times
Like both Christianity and Judaism, Islam has a point when history is
brought to a conclusion -- the final hour or the
end times. In Islam, Christianity and Judaism,
this end time is a conflict between nations and
God’s Messiah. Both Christianity and Islam, see
Jesus as the Messiah, while Judaism rejects
Jesus as Messiah. Judaism however, looks to the
coming of their Messiah at the end of days.
All three faiths see the coming of an antichrist. Although the term
used might differ in each, they see an end times
world leader who opposes God and his rule. The
Muslims call him, Dajjal; in Judaism he
is called Armilus;
while in Christianity he is known as the
Antichrist or the Beast.
In all three faiths, the Messiah defeats this end times world leader,
who opposes God’s law. God's law for the Muslims
is the Quran.
Also, playing a prominent role in end times events for all three faiths, is
the appearance of Gog and Magog.
These nations are mentioned in the Old Testament (Ezekiel 38 &
39), in the book of Revelation (Chapter 20) and
in the Quran (Surah 18:94,97, 21:96). Gog and
Magog head a group of nations opposed to God in
the end of days.
Another character playing a prominent role in Islam, especially in the Shia
sect is the Mahdi. Mahdi comes either before or
with the return of Jesus, to set things in
order. There is dispute within Islam regarding
his nature and function. The Shia sect views
this individual as the 12th Imam, hidden until the time when he should appear.
The time of the end
According to the Quran, the end times is hidden by Allah, who will reveal
the time when it is at hand.
15. Lo! the Hour is surely coming. But I will to
keep it hidden, that every soul may be rewarded
for that which it striveth (to achieve)
Surah 20:15
63. Men ask you of the Hour. Say: The knowledge
of it is with Allah only. What can convey (the
knowledge) unto thee? It may be that the Hour is
nigh.
Surah 30:63
Even though the time is hidden,
according to the Quran, there are signs, which
Muslims are told to watch for.
These signs are recorded in the 81st
and 82nd Surahs. They list environmental
events which effect the whole earth.
1. When the heaven is cleft asunder, 2. When the planets are dispersed,
3. When the seas are poured forth, 4. And the
sepulchres are overturned,
5. A soul will know what it hath sent before
(it) and what left behind.
Surah 82:1-5. Al-Infitar
1. When the sun is overthrown, 2. And when the
stars fall,
3. And when the hills are moved,
6. And when the seas rise,
10. And when the pages are laid open,
11. And when the sky is torn away,
Surah 81:1-3, 6, 10-11
In addition to the Quran, the
Hadith (or traditions) also focuses on end-times.
The Hadith refers to the end times as the Last
Hour. In fact, the 41st
book of the Sahih Muslim Hadith deals
entirely with the Last Hour. In
the Last Hour, Muslims view events leading to
the return of Jesus, son of Mary. Sahih Muslim
lists ten signs leading to the return of Jesus.
Hudhaifa b. Usaid Ghifari reported:
Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) came
to us all of a sudden as we were (busy in a
discussion). He said: What do you discuss about?
They (the Companions) said. We are discussing
about the Last Hour. Thereupon he said: It will
not cone until you see ten signs before and (in
this connection) he made a mention of the smoke,
Dajjal, the beast, the rising of the sun from
the west, the descent of Jesus son of Mary
(Allah be pleased with him), the Gog and Magog,
and land-slidings in three places, one in the
east, one in the west and one in Arabia at the
end of which fire would burn forth from the
Yemen, and would drive people to the place of
their assembly. Sahih Muslim Book 041,
Number 6931
The Dajjal (The Imposter)
According to Islamic tradition, the person of the Dajjal or Antichrist
plays a prominent role. Many Hadith repeat information; some Hadiths conflict with others;
one Hadith has
him linked to the fall of Constantinople
in 1453 A.D.; another links him to a
contemporary of Mohammad, Ibn Sayyad, indicating Mohammad expected his day
to be the Last Hour.
In Islam, the Antichrist is described in several ways, one of the more
common understandings is he will be a Jew who
will have one eye, with the word Kafir on his
forehead. He will lead the armies against Islam,
only to be defeated by Jesus Christ, at the
second coming.
He is a Jew … (Book
041, Number 6995:
Sahih Muslim)
Anas b. Malik reported that Allah's Messenger (may
peace be upon him) said: Dajjal is blind of one
eye and there is written between his eyes the
word" Kafir". He then spelled the word as k. f.
r., which every Muslim would be able to read. (
Book 041, Number 7009 Sahih Muslim)
The Second Coming of Jesus, who is
referred to as the Son of Mary, has several
descriptions in the Hadith. The
description below describes a coming confrontation between
the "Muslim" Jesus
and the Dajjal (Antichrist). Here the Dajjal
turns people to the wrong religion, causes
rainfall and draught and does signs and
wonders.
An-Nawwas b. Sam'an reported that Allah's Messenger
(may peace be upon him) made a mention of the
Dajjal one day in the morning……. If he comes
forth while I am among on, I (Muhammad) shall
contend with him on your behalf, but if he comes
forth while I am not amongst you, a man must
contend on his own behalf and Allah would take
care of every Muslim on my behalf …... He (Dajjal)
would be a young man with twisted, contracted
hair, and a blind eye. I compare him to 'Abd-ul-'Uzza
b. Qatan. He who amongst you would survive to
see him should recite over him the opening
verses of Sura Kahf (xviii.). He would appear on
the way between Syria and Iraq and would spread
mischief right and left. O servant of Allah!
adhere (to the path of Truth). We said: Allah's
Messenger, how long would he stay on the earth?
He said.. For forty days, one day like a year
and one day like a month and one day like a week
and the rest of the days would be like your
days. ……..He would come to the people and invite
them (to a wrong religion) and they would affirm
their faith in him and respond to him. He would
then give command to the sky and there would be
rainfall upon the earth and it would grow crops.
…..He (Dajjal) would then walk through the
waste, land and say to it: Bring forth your
treasures, and the treasures would come out and
collect (themselves) before him like the swarm
of bees. He would then call a person brimming
with youth and strike him with the sword and cut
him into two pieces and (make these pieces lie
at a distance which is generally) between the
archer and his target. He would then call (that
young man) and he will come forward laughing
with his face gleaming (with happiness) and it
would at this very time that Allah would send
Christ, son of Mary, and he will descend at the
white minaret in the eastern side of Damscus
wearing two garments lightly dyed with saffron
and placing his hands on the wings of two
Angels. When he would lower his head, there
would fall beads of perspiration from his head,
and when he would raise it up, beads like pearls
would scatter from it. Every non-believer who
would smell the odour of his self would die and
his breath would reach as far as he would be
able to see. He would then search for him (Dajjal)
until he would catch hold of him at the gate of
Ludd and would kill him.
Book 041, Number 7015
Sahih Muslim
These descriptions in the Quran and the Hadith
do not always match - several conflict with
others. The main point is that Jesus returns in
the end and kills the Dajjal, the Antichrist.
Another person who plays a part in the
Muslim perspective, is the Mahdi.
The Mahdi (the guided one)
and the Muslim Jesus
The Mahdi will lead the armies of Islam in the end
times struggle against the enemies of Islam.
The Shia sect of Islam puts a greater emphasis
on the Mahdi as opposed to the Sunni sect of
Islam. The Mahdi is not mentioned in the Quran,
so almost all understanding of his role comes
from Islamic tradition and history.
Regarding the Hadiths, he (the Mahdi) is not in
the most reliable hadiths such as Bakhari
or Sahih Muslim. However, his coming is also
sought in the Sunni part of Islam as well.
Narrated AbuSa'id al-Khudri:
The Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) said: The Mahdi
will be of my stock, and will have a broad
forehead a prominent nose. He will fill the
earth will equity and justice as it was filled
with oppression and tyranny, and he will rule
for seven years. Abu
Dawud Book 36, Number 4272:
Encyclopedia Britannica writes regarding the
Muslim belief in the Mahdi,
(Arabic: “divinely guided one”), in Islāmic
eschatology, a messianic deliverer who will fill
the Earth with justice and equity, restore true
religion, and usher in a short golden age
lasting seven, eight, or nine years before the
end of the world. The Qurʾān (Islāmic sacred
scriptures) does not mention him, and almost no
reliable
ḥ
adīth (saying attributed to the Prophet Muḥammad)
concerning the mahdī can be adduced. Many
orthodox Sunnī theologians accordingly question
Mahdist beliefs, but such beliefs form a
necessary part of Shīʿī doctrine……………..The
doctrine of the mahdī seems to have gained
currency during the confusion and insecurity of
the religious and political upheavals of early
Islām (7th and 8th centuries). In 686, al-Mukhtār
ibn Abū ʿUbayd at-Thaqafī, leader of a revolt of
non-Arab Muslims in Iraq, seems to have first
used the doctrine by maintaining his allegiance
to a son of ʿAlī (Muḥammad's
son-in-law and fourth caliph), Muḥammad
ibn al-Ḥanafīyah,
even after al-Ḥanafīyah's
death. Abū ʿUbayd taught that, as mahdī, al-Ḥanafīyah
remained alive in his tomb in a state of
occultation (ghaybah) and would reappear to
vanquish his enemies. In 750 the ʿAbbāsid
revolution made use of eschatological prophecies
current at the time that the mahdī would rise in
Khorāsān in the east, carrying a black
banner……………Belief in the mahdī has tended to
receive new emphasis in every time of crisis.
Thus, after the battle of Las Navas de Tolosa
(1212), when most of Spain was lost for Islām,
Spanish Muslims circulated traditions ascribed
to the Prophet foretelling a reconquest of Spain
by the mahdī. During the Napoleonic invasion of
Egypt, a person claiming to be the mahdī
appeared briefly in Lower Egypt.
According to the Shia sect, the Mahdi is the
12th Imam, Muḥammad
Al-muntazar,
the Hidden Imam, who disappeared in 878 A.D. They
believe he is alive and will reappear at the end
of time to lead the Muslim armies. Jesus and the
armies of Mahdi conquer the world and force
everyone to
become Muslims. The Dajjal, the Antichrist, and
his force of 70,000 Jews will be destroyed. In
the process, Jesus will kill the pigs, break
the crosses and kills the Jews. After this,
Jesus will get married, live fourty-years, and have
children. He will die and be buried next to
Mohammad in Medina.
Abu Huraira reported
Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) as
saying: The last hour would not come unless the
Muslims will fight against the Jews and the
Muslims would kill them until the Jews would
hide themselves behind a stone or a tree and a
stone or a tree would say: Muslim, or the
servant of Allah, there is a Jew behind me; come
and kill him; but the tree Gharqad would not
say, for it is the tree of the Jews.
Book 041,
Number 6985:
Sahih Muslim:
Narrated Abu Huraira: Allah's Apostle said, "The Hour
will not be established until the son of Mary
(i.e. Jesus) descends amongst you as a just
ruler, he will break the cross, kill the pigs,
and abolish the Jizya tax. Money will be in
abundance so that nobody will accept it (as
charitable gifts).
Volume 3, Book 43,
Number 656 Bukahri
Narrated AbuHurayrah:
The Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) said: There is
no prophet between me and him, that is, Jesus (peace_be_upon_him).
He will descent (to the earth). When you see
him, recognise him: a man of medium height,
reddish fair, wearing two light yellow garments,
looking as if drops were falling down from his
head though it will not be wet. He will fight
the people for the cause of Islam. He will break
the cross, kill swine, and abolish jizyah. Allah
will perish all religions except Islam. He will
destroy the Antichrist and will live on the
earth for forty years and then he will die. The
Muslims will pray over him.
Book 37, Number 4310:
Abu Dawud
The Resurrection
Following the death and burial of Jesus, will be the resurrection of all,
according to Islam. This event will be preceded
by the trumpet blast, which crushes the
mountains. In Islam all will be gathered and
submit to Allah.
13. And when the trumpet shall sound one blast
14. And the earth with the mountains shall be
lifted up and crushed with one crash,
15. Then, on that day will the Event befall.
16. And the heaven will split asunder, for that
day it will be frail.
Surah 69:13-16
Every living creature will die, even the angels, causing all to submit to
the oneness of God, tawhid. (Surah
55:26-27, 28:88) Then all will be resurrected,
including the angel who blows the trumpet to the
resurrection. All will be gathered before the
throne of God to be judged for their deeds. On
this day, two groups will be separated. The
believers will have joy and the disbelievers
will face doom.
33. But when the
Shout cometh 34. On the day when a man
fleeth from his brother
35. And his mother and his father 36. And
his wife and his children,
37. Every man that day will have concern enough
to make him heedless (of others).
38. On that day faces will be bright as dawn,
39. Laughing, rejoicing at good news;
40. And other faces, on that day, with dust upon
them,
41. Veiled in darkness,
42. Those are the disbelievers, the wicked.
Surah 80:33-42
The Day of Accounting
With the masses of humanity and jinn assembled before the throne, the
time comes for them to be divided, according to
judgment. The sins and actions of humanity
recorded in the book of deeds will be placed
before them, according to the Quran.
49. And the Book is placed, and thou seest the
guilty fearful of that which is therein, and
they say: What Kind of a book is this that
leaveth not a small thing nor a great thing but
hath counted it! And they find all that they did
confronting them, and thy Lord wrongeth no one.
Surah 18:49
Individuals whose good deeds outweigh their bad deeds will attain
“Success”. Those whose scales are light will
loose their souls. (Surah 7:8-9) The people
will be gathered to the right and the left of
the throne of God, which is upheld by eight
angels.
Those on the right will enter the
Gardens of Paradise, those on the left will get
chains for hell. Both groups will then be forced to
cross over the bridge of “Hell”, called sirat
(seerat).
18. On that day ye will be exposed; not a secret
of you will be hidden. 19. Then, as for
him who is given his record in his right hand,
he will say: Take, read my book! 20.
Surely I knew that I should have to meet my
reckoning. 21. Then he will be in blissful
state 22. In a high Garden 23.
Whereof the clusters are in easy reach.
24. (And it will be said unto those therein):
Eat and drink at ease for that which ye sent on
before you in past days. 25. But as
for him who is given his record in his left
hand, he will say: Oh, would that I had not been
given my book 26. And knew not what my
reckoning! 27. Oh, would that it had been
death! 28. My wealth hath not availed me,
29. My power hath gone from me. 30. (It
will be said): Take him and fetter him
31. And then expose him to hell fire 32.
And then insert him in a chain whereof the
length is seventy cubits.
Surah 69:18-31
The believers will be successful in
their crossing, but those on the left will fall
into Hell when they try to cross. The Hadith,
and not the Quran, sheds the most light on this
event. Muslims will also face Hell, to pay for
their sins, but eventually, the Mercy of Allah
will free them.
Narrated 'Ata' bin Yazid Al-Laithi:……….Then
a bridge will be laid across Hell (Fire)' I and
my followers will be the first ones to go across
it and none will speak on that Day except the
Apostles. And the invocation of the Apostles on
that Day will be, 'O Allah, save! Save!' In Hell
(or over The Bridge) there will be hooks like
the thorns of As-Sa'dan (thorny plant)…… Those
hooks will snap the people away according to
their deeds. Some of the people will stay in
Hell (be destroyed) because of their (evil)
deeds, and some will be cut or torn by the hooks
(and fall into Hell) and some will be punished
and then relieved. When Allah has finished His
Judgments among the people, He will take
whomever He will out of Hell through His Mercy.
He will then order the angels to take out of the
Fire all those who used to worship none but
Allah from among those whom Allah wanted to be
merciful to and those who testified (in the
world) that none has the right to be worshipped
but Allah.
Volume 9, Book 93, Number 532c: Bukhari
Mohammed as Intercessor
Muslims are dependent on their works
to save them from the fires of Hell. If their
bad deeds outweigh the good, they are
destined to burn in Hell fire. Unlike Islam,
Christianity has a Messiah who paid for the sins
of those who are lost, by dying on the cross.
Islam has no such savior in the Quran. However,
in the Hadith, Mohammad takes on the role as
intercessor for the Muslim. Even Jesus and
Abraham cannot equal the intercession of
Mohammad. So Muslims, on the day of judgment,
put their ultimate hope on Muhammad and his
ability to intercede.
"Muhammad talked to us saying, 'On the Day of
Resurrection the people will surge with each
other like waves, and then they will come to
Adam and say, 'Please intercede for us with your
Lord.' He will say, 'I am not fit for that but
you'd better go to Abraham as he is the Khalil
of the Beneficent.' They will go to Abraham and
he will say, 'I am not fit for that, but you'd
better go to Moses as he is the one to whom
Allah spoke directly.' So they will go to Moses
and he will say, 'I am not fit for that, but
you'd better go to Jesus as he is a soul created
by Allah and His Word.' (Be: And it was) they
will go to Jesus and he will say, 'I am not fit
for that, but you'd better go to Muhammad.'
……………
They would come to me and I would say, 'I am for that.'
Then I will ask for my Lord's permission, and it
will be given, and then He will inspire me to
praise Him with such praises as I do not know
now. So I will praise Him with those praises and
will fall down, prostrate before Him. Then it
will be said, 'O Muhammad, raise your head and
speak, for you will be listened to; and ask, for
your will be granted (your request); and
intercede, for your intercession will be
accepted.' I will say, 'O Lord, my followers!
My followers!' And then it will be said, 'Go and
take out of Hell (Fire) all those who have faith
in their hearts, equal to the weight of a
barley grain.' I will go and do so and return to
praise Him with the same praises, and fall down
(prostrate) before Him. Then it will be said, 'O
Muhammad, raise your head and speak, for you
will be listened to, and ask, for you will be
granted (your request); and intercede, for your
intercession will be accepted.' I will say, 'O
Lord, my followers! My followers!' It will be
said, 'Go and take out of it all those who have
faith in their hearts equal to the weight of a
small ant or a mustard seed.' I will go and do
so and return to praise Him with the same
praises, and fall down in prostration before
Him. It will be said, 'O, Muhammad, raise your
head and speak, for you will be listened to, and
ask, for you will be granted (your request); and
intercede, for your intercession will be
accepted.' I will say, 'O Lord, my followers!'
Then He will say, 'Go and take out (all those)
in whose hearts there is faith even to the
lightest, lightest mustard seed. (Take them) out
of the Fire.' I will go and do so…
Volume 9, Book 93, Number 601: Bukhari
Heaven and Hell
The description of Heaven and Hell as the final destination are presented
in both the Quran and the Hadith. Like the rest
of Islam, the more detailed presentation is made
in the Hadith as opposed to the Quran.
The Quran describes Hell in graphic terms, a
place of torment and burning.
62. Is this better as a welcome, or the tree of Zaqqam?
63. Lo! We have appointed it a torment for wrong
doers.
64. Lo! it is a tree that springeth in the heart
of hell
65. Its crop is as it were the heads of devils
66. And lo! they verily must eat thereof, and
fill (their) bellies therewith.
67. And afterward, lo! thereupon they have a
drink of boiling water
68. And afterward, lo! their return is surely
unto hell. Surah 37:62-68
35. On the day when it will (all) be heated in
the fire of hell, and their foreheads and their
flanks and their backs will be branded therewith
(and it will be said unto them): Here is that
which ye hoarded for yourselves. Now taste of
what ye used to hoard. Surah 9:35
While Heaven (Paradise) is described as a place where one enjoys his
wives, drinks non-intoxicating wine, and lives
in bliss in the shade. The Bukhari Hadith
describes heaven (Paradise) as having a pearl
sixty miles wide, where one set of wives
do not see the others. This allows the believer
(Muslim) to visit his many wives in Paradise,
without having the other wives know.
43. In the Gardens of delight, 44. On couches facing one another 45. A
cup from a gushing spring is brought round for
them,
46. White, delicious to the drinkers, 47.
Wherein there is no headache nor are they made
mad thereby.
48. And with them are those of modest gaze, with
lovely eyes, Surah 37:43-48
55. Lo! those who merit paradise this day are
happily employed, 56. They and their wives, in
pleasant shade, on thrones reclining; 57.
Theirs the fruit (of their good deeds) and
theirs (all) that they ask; 58. The word
from a Merciful Lord (for them) is: Peace!
Surah 36:55-58
Narrated Abdullah bin Qais: Allah's Apostle said, "In
Paradise there is a pavilion made of a single
hollow pearl sixty miles wide, in each corner of
which there are wives who will not see those in
the other corners; and the believers will visit
and enjoy them. And there are two gardens, the
utensils and contents of which are made of
silver; and two other gardens, the utensils and
contents of which are made of so-and-so (i.e.
gold) and nothing will prevent the people
staying in the Garden of Eden from seeing their
Lord except the curtain of
Majesty over His Face.” Volume 6, Book
60, Number 402: Bukhari
In contrast to the rest of those in Paradise, the martyr or
the person who dies in Jihad, receives 72
wives in Paradise and has the right to intercede
for seventy relatives.
Al-Miqdam ibn madikarib Ma'dikarib (Hadith)
MISHKAT AL-MASABIH
(Hadith)
Allah's
Messenger (peace be upon him) said, "The martyr
receives six good things from Allah: he is
forgiven at the first shedding of his blood; he
is shown his abode in Paradise; he is preserved
from the punishment in the grave; he is kept
safe from the greatest terror; he has placed on
his head the crown of honour, a ruby of which is
better than the world and what it contains; he
is married to seventy-two wives of the maidens
with large dark eyes; and is made intercessor
for seventy of his relatives."
Tirmidhi
and Ibn Majah transmitted it.
